Automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes and a manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes and a manufacturing method thereof are used to position at least a crude pipe sleeve at a material strip and drive the crude pipe sleeve to pass through a positioning segment, a molding segment, a reshaping segment and unloading segment in a molding device for development of a plurality of graspable claw portions on the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve and mass-production of stable-quality and low-manufacturing-cost pipe sleeves, each of which has a plurality of graspable claw portions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes and a manufacturing method thereof, particularly a molding device for development of a plurality of graspable claw portions on the sleeve wall of a pipe sleeve and a manufacturing method thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

A pipe sleeve to be mounted on a needle tube comprises a plurality of graspable claw portions with which the pipe sleeve is clamped on the outside of the needle tube.

For development of the graspable claw portions on an existing pipe sleeve, a crude pipe sleeve which has been created already should be clamped on a jig for a stamping process in which the graspable claw portions are stamped on the pipe sleeve one by one. In other words, six graspable claw portions to be formed on the pipe sleeve circumferentially should be stamped on the pipe sleeve one by one with the jig rotated a specific angle every time.

Accordingly, for more graspable claw portions to be stamped on the pipe sleeve, a jig on which a single crude pipe sleeve is clamped should be rotated more frequently during an extended production cycle. Moreover, crude pipe sleeves should be clamped on the jig one after another such that graspable claw portions which might be defective in quality are stamped on each of the crude pipe sleeves and increase manufacturing costs comparatively.

In view of the above problem, a molding device for development of a plurality of graspable claw portions on the sleeve wall of a pipe sleeve and a manufacturing method thereof, particularly an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes and a manufacturing method thereof for mass production of stable-quality and low-manufacturing-cost pipe sleeves, are provided in the present disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes provided in the present disclosure is installed along a travel path of a material strip for development of a plurality of graspable claw portions on the sleeve wall of a pipe sleeve; the molding device comprises a positioning segment, a molding segment, a reshaping segment and an unloading segment inside. The positioning segment is used to position a crude pipe sleeve at the material strip. The molding segment is provided with a plurality of molding tools with which a plurality of molding areas are molded on the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve in advance wherein each of the molding areas has a crude claw portion and a hollowed-up portion around the crude claw portion. The reshaping segment is provided with a plurality of reshaping tools with which each of the crude claw portions in every molding area is reshaped, that is, the crude claw portions are bended inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve for development of the graspable claw portions at the crude pipe sleeve. The unloading segment is provided with an unloading tool with which the crude pipe sleeve is separated from the material strip for development of the pipe sleeve with the graspable claw portions.

In an embodiment, the positioning segment further comprises at least a positioning tool with which a pilot hole for positioning the crude pipe sleeve is created on the material strip such that the crude pipe sleeve is fixed in the pilot hole, which has been opened at the material strip in advance, and positioned at the material strip.

In an embodiment, the molding segment further comprises a plurality of cutting areas, each of which is provided with the molding tools in pairs, such that a pair of molding areas is developed on each crude pipe sleeve passing through each of the cutting areas.

In an embodiment, the reshaping segment further comprises a plurality of bending areas, each of which is provided with the plurality of reshaping tools, such that the plurality of crude claw portions on each crude pipe sleeve passing through every bending area are bended inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve simultaneously.

In an embodiment, the unloading segment further comprises a cut-off segment with a cut-off tool with which the material strip is cut off after the crude pipe sleeve is separated from the material strip.

In an embodiment, the molding device further comprises a plurality of alignment modules which are distributed at both sides of the travel path of the material strip in the molding device such that the material strip is moved along the travel path in the molding device due to the alignment modules.

For this end, a manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes provided in the present disclosure comprises a positioning step, a molding step, a reshaping step and an unloading step. In the manufacturing method, the positioning step is to provide a material strip as well as a crude pipe sleeve to a molding device and position the crude pipe sleeve at the material strip. The molding step is to create a plurality of molding areas on the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve in the molding device in advance such that each of the molding areas has a crude claw portion and a hollowed-up portion around the crude claw portion. The reshaping step is to reshape each crude claw portion at every molding area in the molding device such that the crude claw portions are bended inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve and the graspable claw portions are developed on the crude pipe sleeve. The unloading step is to separate the crude pipe sleeve from the material strip in the molding device for development of the pipe sleeve with the graspable claw portions.

In an embodiment, the molding step is to create the molding areas in pairs on each of the crude pipe sleeves.

In an embodiment, the reshaping step is to bend the plurality of crude claw portions inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve simultaneously.

In an embodiment, the manufacturing method further comprises a cut-off step through which the material strip is cut off after the crude pipe sleeve is separated from the material strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a molding device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a positioning segment in the molding device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for a positioning step of a material strip and a crude pipe sleeve.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a molding segment in the molding device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for a molding step of a crude pipe sleeve.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a reshaping segment in the molding device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of an unloading segment in the molding device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for reshaping and unloading steps of a crude pipe sleeve.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for a manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a molding device in the present disclosure. The molding device 10 is installed along a travel path 30 of a material strip 20, which is driven to pass through the molding device 10 such that at least a crude pipe sleeve 40 is positioned at the material strip 20 for development of a pipe sleeve 70 with a plurality of graspable claw portions 71 (as shown in FIG. 8); the molding device 10 comprises a positioning segment 11, a molding segment 12, a reshaping segment 13, an unloading segment 14, a cut-off segment 15 and a plurality of alignment modules 16 inside.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are a schematic plan view of the molding device, a schematic plan view of the positioning segment in the molding device, and a diagram for the positioning step of the material strip and a crude pipe sleeve, respectively. The positioning segment 11 of the molding device 10 comprises a positioning tool 111: the material strip 20 delivered to the molding device 10 passes through the positioning segment 11 at which a pilot hole 21 is created on the material strip 20 in advance and a ring-like covering portion 22 is developed around the pilot hole 21 later. The molding device 10 is connected with a conveyor device 50, which is used to deliver crude pipe sleeves 40, as well as a positioning device 60, which is used to drive crude pipe sleeves 40, at one side of the travel path 30 of the material strip 20. In practical applications, the conveyor device 50 is a vibrating disk with which a crude pipe sleeve 40 is delivered to the positioning segment 11; then, the crude pipe sleeve 40 transferred to the material strip 20 by the positioning device 60 and staying above a pilot hole 21 is moved toward the pilot hole 21 by the molding device 10 through which the crude pipe sleeve 40 passing through the material strip 20 is fed into and fixed in the material strip 20. As shown in FIG. 3, with a sleeve wall 41 on which a protuberance portion 42 developed around the sleeve wall 41 circumferentially is raised at the edge of one end, the crude pipe sleeve 40 fed into the pilot hole 21 depends on the protuberance portion 42 to closely fit the covering portion 21 of the material strip 20 and be positioned at the material strip 20.

FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 are a schematic plan view of the molding device, a schematic plan view of the molding segment in the molding device, and a diagram for the molding step of a crude pipe sleeve, respectively. After the crude pipe sleeve 40 transferred to the positioning segment 11 is positioned at the material strip 20, the material strip 20 is delivered to the molding segment 12 of the molding device 10 along the travel path 30. A plurality of molding tools 121 installed within the molding segment 12 are used to mold a plurality of molding areas 43 on the sleeve wall 41 of the crude pipe sleeve 40 wherein each of the molding areas 43 comprise a crude claw portion 44 and a hollowed-up portion 45 around the crude claw portion 44. In the embodiment, there are six molding areas 43 developed on the sleeve wall 41 of the crude pipe sleeve 40 and arranged on the sleeve wall 41 equidistantly and circumferentially. For development of the molding areas 43 on the sleeve wall 41, three cutting areas 122 which are further divided in the molding segment 12 of the molding device 10 are a first cutting area 123, a second cutting area 124 and a third cutting area 125 and each of the cutting areas 122 comprises two molding tools 121 mounted in pairs, that is, the two molding tools 121 in each cutting area 122 are opposite to each other in a straight line. In the embodiment, the two molding tools 121 in the second cutting area 124 are perpendicular to the travel path 30 of the material strip 20 and mounted in the molding segment 12; the two molding tools 121 in the first cutting area 123 (or the third cutting area 125) and the two molding tools 121 in the second cutting area 124, both of which form a specific angle, are located at both sides of the second cutting area 124 correspondingly and oppositely. After the material strip 20 passing through the positioning segment 11 is delivered to the molding segment 12, the crude pipe sleeve 40 goes through the first cutting area 123, the second cutting area 124 and the third cutting area 125 sequentially for development of the six molding areas 43 equidistantly arranged on the crude pipe sleeve 40.

FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8 are a schematic plan view of the molding device, a schematic plan view of the reshaping segment in the molding device, a schematic plan view of the unloading segment in the molding device, and a diagram for reshaping and unloading steps of a crude pipe sleeve, respectively. After the crude pipe sleeve 40 fed into the material strip 20 is delivered to the reshaping segment 13 from the molding segment 12 of the molding device 10, a plurality of reshaping tools 131 in the reshaping segment 13 are used to bend and reshape the crude claw portions 44 at the molding areas 43, that is, the crude claw portions 44 at all molding areas 43 are bended inward from the sleeve wall 41 for development of the graspable claw portions 71. In the embodiment, the reshaping segment 13 comprises a first bending area 132 and a second bending area 133, each of which is equipped with three reshaping tools 131, wherein the reshaping tools 131 in the first bending area 132 or the second bending area 133 are spaced 120 degrees apart and the reshaping tools 131 at the first bending area 132 are opposite to the reshaping tools 131 at the second bending area 133 in design. Accordingly, the crude claw portions 44 at the six molding areas 43 on the crude pipe sleeve 40, which has passed through the first bending area 132 and the second bending area 133, are bended inward from the sleeve wall 41 for development of the six graspable claw portions 71 on the crude pipe sleeve 40.

Finally, with the six graspable claw portions 71 developed on the crude pipe sleeve 40, the crude pipe sleeve 40 accompanying with the material strip 20 is delivered to the unloading segment 14, in which an unloading tool 141 is installed, and separated from the material strip 20 through the unloading tool 141 for development of the pipe sleeve 70 with the plurality of graspable claw portions 71. Moreover, the unloading segment 1 further comprises a cut-off segment 15 in which a cut-off tool 151 is further designed. After the pipe sleeve 70 is separated from the material strip 20, the material strip 20 delivered to the cut-off segment 15 is cut off by the cut-off tool 151 and transformed to a scrap for recycling.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, a plurality of alignment modules 16 are installed in each of the molding segment 12, the reshaping segment 13 and the unloading segment 14 in the molding device 10 and distributed at both sides of the travel path 30 of the material strip 20 inside the molding device 10. Depending on the alignment modules 16, the material strip 20 is moved steadily along the travel path 30 inside the molding segment 12, the reshaping segment 13 and the unloading segment 14 of the molding device 10 and stabilized in the molding segment 12, the reshaping segment 13 and the unloading segment 14 reliably such that the crude pipe sleeve is molded in the molding segment 12, the reshaping segment 13 and the unloading segment 14.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for a manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, which illustrate a manufacturing method for development of a plurality of graspable claw portions on a pipe sleeve comprises a positioning step S1, a molding step S2, a reshaping step S3, an unloading step S4 and a cut-off step S5. The positioning step S1 is to deliver a material strip 20 and a crude pipe sleeve 40 to the positioning segment 11 in the molding device 10 and position the crude pipe sleeve 40 at the material strip 20. The molding step S2 is to create a plurality of molding areas 43 on the sleeve wall 41 of the crude pipe sleeve 40 in the molding segment 12 of the molding device 10 in advance through the plurality of molding tools 121 wherein each of the molding areas 43 has a crude claw portion 44 and a hollowed-up portion 45 around the crude claw portion 44 and the molding areas 43 are developed on the crude pipe sleeve 40 in pairs. The reshaping step S3 is to reshape each crude claw portion 44 at every molding area 43 in the reshaping segment 13 of the molding device 10 through the plurality of reshaping tools 131 wherein the crude claw portions 44 are bended inward from the sleeve wall 41 of the crude pipe sleeve 40 and the graspable claw portions 71 are developed on the crude pipe sleeve 44; in the embodiment, the plurality of crude claw portions 44 are bended inward from the sleeve wall 41 of the crude pipe sleeve 40 simultaneously in the reshaping step S3. The unloading step S4 is to separate the crude pipe sleeve 40 from the material strip 20 in the unloading segment 14 of the molding device 10 through the unloading tool 141 for development of the pipe sleeve 70 with the graspable claw portions 71. The cut-off step S5 is to cut off the material strip 20 from which the pipe sleeve 70 has been separated wherein the cut material strip 20 is transformed to a scrap for recycling.

Accordingly, pipe sleeves characteristic of stable quality and low manufacturing costs can be mass-produced automatically based on a manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes, installed along a travel path of a material strip for development of a plurality of graspable claw portions on the sleeve wall of a pipe sleeve and comprising: a positioning segment, used to position a crude pipe sleeve at the material strip; a molding segment, provided with a plurality of molding tools with which a plurality of molding areas are molded on the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve in advance wherein each of the molding areas has a crude claw portion and a hollowed-up portion around the crude claw portion; a reshaping segment, provided with a plurality of reshaping tools with which each of the crude claw portions in every molding area is reshaped, that is, the crude claw portions are bended inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve for development of the graspable claw portions at the crude pipe sleeve; and an unloading segment, provided with an unloading tool with which the crude pipe sleeve is separated from the material strip for development of the pipe sleeve with the graspable claw portions.
 2. An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the positioning segment further comprises at least a positioning tool with which a pilot hole for positioning the crude pipe sleeve is created on the material strip such that the crude pipe sleeve is fixed in the pilot hole, which has been opened at the material strip in advance, and positioned at the material strip.
 3. An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the molding segment further comprises a plurality of cutting areas, each of which is provided with the molding tools in pairs, such that a pair of molding areas is developed on each crude pipe sleeve passing through each of the cutting areas.
 4. An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reshaping segment further comprises a plurality of bending areas, each of which is provided with the plurality of reshaping tools, such that the plurality of crude claw portions on each crude pipe sleeve passing through every bending area are bended inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve simultaneously.
 5. An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the unloading segment further comprises a cut-off segment with a cut-off tool with which the material strip is cut off after the crude pipe sleeve is separated from the material strip.
 6. An automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the molding device further comprises a plurality of alignment modules which are distributed at both sides of the travel path of the material strip in the molding device such that the material strip is moved along the travel path in the molding device due to the alignment modules.
 7. A manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes, comprising: a positioning step, used to provide a material strip as well as a crude pipe sleeve to a molding device and position the crude pipe sleeve at the material strip; a molding step, used to create a plurality of molding areas on the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve in the molding device in advance such that each of the molding areas has a crude claw portion and a hollowed-up portion around the crude claw portion; a reshaping step, used to reshape each crude claw portion at every molding area in the molding device such that the crude claw portions are bended inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve and the graspable claw portions are developed on the crude pipe sleeve; and an unloading step, used to separate the crude pipe sleeve from the material strip in the molding device for development of the pipe sleeve with the graspable claw portions.
 8. A manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 7 wherein the molding step is to create the molding areas in pairs on each of the crude pipe sleeves.
 9. A manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 7 wherein the reshaping step is to bend the plurality of crude claw portions inward from the sleeve wall of the crude pipe sleeve simultaneously.
 10. A manufacturing method of an automatic unloading, clamping and molding device for galvanized iron tubes as claimed in claim 7 wherein the unloading step comprises a cut-off step through which the material strip is cut off after the crude pipe sleeve is separated from the material strip. 